HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-01-16 ARC Correspondence - Item 1 (B. Mourenza)Lomeli, Monique
Subject: To members of the Architectural Review Commission
Meeting: YAV O 3 �11 q
From: Bob Mourenza [ Item:
Sent: Monday, August 01, 2016 11:52 AM
To: Advisory Bodies <advisorybodies2slocity.org>
Subject: To members of the Architectural Review Commission
To members of the Architectural Review Commission
Re: Project at 71 Palomar, San Luis Obispo
Dear Commissioners -
RECEIVE P r
CITY OF SAN LUIS 08ISPO
AUG 01 20;6
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
I would like to address various issues regarding the design of the dormitory style student housing project at 71 Palomar, to call it multi
family is a far stretch.
• The project developer and architect have claimed they met with neighbors, no neighborhood meeting per City of San Luis
Obispo Public Engagement Manual occurred for this project. A hearing is not a workshop, we the neighbors and concerned
citizens have three minutes to make our and cannot reply to question presented by the commissioners or object to the
applicants assertions.
• The project presented at the CHC first meeting was rejected and the developer was instructed to reduce massing and scale,
the second proposal reduced the number of units but increased the number of bedrooms in a good portion of the units so the
result was only a reduction of only three bedrooms overall. The developer claimed project was reduced by 5,575 square feet
but in reality the apartments were only were reduced by 1,895 sq ft and garage by 3,680 sq ft with 27 less parking spaces. The
complex remains too massive for his sensitive site and the scale of the building still overwhelm the historic house and cultural
landscape, the architectural rendering are quite deceptive.
• The units have been designed for maximum per bed occupancy, The long bedrooms with double doors in the middle will be
further subdivided with partitions, so a two or three bedrooms units can accommodate up to six beds and will rented by the
bed. There is a similar project under construction designed by the same architect, Icon SLO at Taff and Kentucky, which
blatantly advertised as Cal Poly student housing with a starting price of $999.00 PER BED IN A SHARED ROOM, so much for
affordability. This is clearly done to circumvent the maximum allowable density which is based on a per bedroom formula and it
doubles it.
• The living portion of units are very small and,definitely not intended for families to interact. The complex repurposes the
historical Sanford house with exercise room and lounges because there is not place within the apartments unit to study due to
the cramp quarters.
• Little consideration has been giving to orientation for natural light and natural cross ventilation, long interior hallways will
necessitate artificial lighting even at day time.